A Q&A with Kay Ford, Suntrust Savannah's new CEO

Monday

Jul 16, 2007 at 11:30 PM

Mary Carr Mayle

Savannah native and longtime business banker Kay A. Ford has been appointed president and chief executive officer of SunTrust Bank, Savannah replacing Mardie R. Herndon Jr., who has been promoted to retail banking line of business manager for SunTrust Bank, Georgia.

Ford has long been known in the Savannah community for her leadership, said Helen Downing, board chairperson for SunTrust Savannah.

"Her passion and dedication to this city is remarkable, and I look forward to seeing the community and bank benefit from her dynamic leadership," Downing said Monday in making the announcement.

A 33-year veteran of SunTrust, Ford grew up in Garden City, graduating from Groves High School before going on to Armstrong Atlantic State University and the University of Georgia in Athens.

A graduate of the Georgia Banking School in Athens, she has held numerous senior level positions within retail banking and private wealth management and most recently served as senior vice president and wealth services manager for SunTrust Bank, Georgia.

She currently serves on the board of directors of the United Way, the Memorial Health Foundation, the Savannah Fund for Excellence in Education and St. Mary's Home. She is a graduate of the 1990 class of Leadership Savannah, and the 1997 class of Leadership Georgia.

Ford spoke with the Savannah Morning News on Monday about her new appointment.

Savannah Morning News: As you take over as CEO of SunTrust in Savannah, what do you see as your greatest challenges?

Kay Ford: I think one of the biggest challenges for any banker is client retention. It's something I've always been focused on, partly I think because I started out as a teller and learned early on how important customer service is to our business. Our tellers are the ones who interact daily with our clients. They get to know them, their children, even the dogs that come through the drive-through. Staying client-focused is our team's No. 1 priority. On a more personal level, I know I didn't get here by myself - I've been given this opportunity because of all the people who helped and guided me over the years. I'm excited to have the opportunity to give back by serving as a mentor for our employees.

SMN: SunTrust Georgia CEO Bill Haile has described you as uniquely sensitive to the needs and opportunities of this community. What do you see as the needs in Savannah and what are the opportunities the bank has to fill those needs?

Ford: I grew up in this community, so I've witnessed the tremendous growth and the shift from a town that was mostly manufacturing to a much more diverse economy that includes everything from the hospitality industry to high tech businesses. We have so many more newcomers now. We have to respond to those changes, go beyond the status quo. We have to meet the needs of a new Savannah while, at the same time, be mindful of the needs and of longtime Savannahians. While this growth poses challenges, it also provides great opportunities for banks like SunTrust: a bank that can make local decisions while, at the same time, offering big bank capabilities.

SMN: In an effort to discourage payday lenders, The Board of Directors of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation recently approved a two-year pilot project to review affordable and responsible small-dollar loan programs in financial institutions. Does SunTrust plan to take up this challenge?

Ford: I can't answer that yet because I'm really not familiar enough with the project. We're just starting to look at this.

SMN: Savannah seems to have an inordinately high number of banks per capita, with more coming in. What kinds of things will you do to be sure SunTrust remains a viable part of the market?

Ford: I think now, more than ever, it's important to maintain our presence in the community. We have a volunteer council made up of employees who decide what community projects we'll be involved in. We also have a strong corps of volunteers who give their time to a variety of causes. We don't just want to be in the community, we want to be part of the community.

SMN: What do you see Savannah's banking climate as like in the next 20 or 25 years and how will you position SunTrust to fit into that dynamic?

Ford: At some point, I think the number of banks will start to merge together. We have to continue to brand ourselves - in both what we say and what we do - as the local bank. We have to maintain our focus on client service in every line of our business.